Social media has become a prevalent form of communication for many, especially middle and high school students. It provides a great way for students to connect with a large diverse group of peers. However, it also presents the students with potentially unsafe situations and emotional harm. The theoretical approach/model used to address issues students develop through the use of social media will vary, and different approaches can be combined, dependent on the school counselor’s relationship with the students and the extent and type of issue (Erford & Byrd, 2014). I would use a person-centered approach build trust with the student and further develop the student-counselor relationship. This approach shows the students they have someone who is available to listen, shows empathy, cares, and will not be judgmental. A family systems approach could be included to gain insight into status of relationships between members of the family and help to establish better communications and boundaries. A counselor who has strong rapport and trust with students could also use strategies from rational emotive behavior therapy. They can confront students’ behavior and thoughts surrounding social networking and attempt to help the student reshape the way they think about using social media and what they see as reality.
References
Erford, B. T., & Byrd, R. T. (2014). Applying techniques to common encounters in school counseling
. Pearson Education.
